Posted on 10/16/2006 2:50:31 AM PDT by Aussie Dasher
A political action committee created by the Minuteman Civil Defense Corps, whose financial accountability has been challenged by MCDC members, has spent hundreds of thousands of dollars in donations to support Republican candidates -- much of it through private companies with ties to conservative activist Alan Keyes.
Claiming access to 500,000 households nationwide, the Minuteman PAC has pledged to do what it can financially to help elect "committed and principled conservative leaders" -- citing as examples MCDC President Chris Simcox and Mr. Keyes.
"Our intent is to secure our borders, and we are hoping to influence the elections to get that done," said Rick Shafton, a political consultant in Sparta, N.J., who recently signed on as spokesman for the Minuteman PAC. "The Minuteman movement has proven to be very popular across the country, and it is raising a lot of money."
According to the most recent Federal Election Commission (FEC) records, the Minuteman PAC spent $240,000 through the first week of September on eight congressional campaigns, although just $5,000 was direct candidate contributions.
The FEC records also show that about 60 percent of the Minuteman PAC's expenditures through early September went to private companies -- several with ties to a labyrinth of Virginia-based tax-exempt charities and fundraising groups founded or headed by Mr. Keyes. The money was used for direct-mail fundraisers, telemarketing programs, advertising campaigns and disbursement fees for four candidates.
The Minuteman PAC spent nearly $88,000 through early September on its own operations, including fees to many of the Keyes-aligned private firms to collect and disburse donations and do direct-mail fundraising, the FEC records show. Other PAC money went to Web site construction, bank charges, salaries and advertising.
(Excerpt) Read more at washtimes.com ...
marking
Bob, that's just ignorant.
The folks I know that have supported the Minutemen have done so for the purpose of raising border security issues to prominence in our political discourse. For you to ignore the fact that the Minutemen have succeeded in that mission in spades is just plain willful stupidity.
So what you're saying is that they are the kind of people who don't mind being ripped off?
Don't insult my intelligence. If they are giving money for border security, I'm not sure they agree that 98 percent of the money should go to Alan Keyes' "fund raising" machine.
Count me in. It will make me feel much better about money I sent to Keyes back when I respected him.
No. What I'm saying is that they are fulfilling their mission, which makes Minuteman supporters real happy. I'm also saying that you have failed to read the article. If you had read it, you would see that their PAC has spent several hundred thousand dollars in this election cycle to elect conservatives, and to defeat RINOs.
I know that must pain you, but there it is.
Don't insult my intelligence.
No comment.
Ignoring that $240,000 expenditure to help elect conservatives is a fairly large sin of omission on your part, Bob.
Your gross distortions and hyperbole are sounding more and more like the antifreepers when they discuss Jim's finances.
How many folks do you know of who have been rubbed out by Keyesters?
See, there's your problem. If you'd read the article, or weren't willfully ignoring what it says, you'd know that there is a "door number four," ie the Minuteman PAC's expenditure of $240,000 through the September reporting period on helping elect conservatives.
Your personal grudges are making you dishonest, IT.
"60 percent of the Minuteman PAC's expenditures through early September went to private companies -- several with ties to a labyrinth of Virginia-based tax-exempt charities and fundraising groups founded or headed by Mr. Keyes."
Keyes is making a boat load off the border issue, probably much more than the illegal $8500 a month salary he paid himself from his campaign donations during his hugely unsuccessful Senate run.
So you are admitting openly that people who donate to the MM are willing to have 80 cents of every dollar they donate go to Keyes, rather than to the border?
Utter tripe. You look like a fool when you post stuff like that.
I told you before not to bring Jim Robinson into this; that is beneath contempt.
"Helping elect conservatives" is codeword for "paying Keyes' mortgage."
If the border issue was so damn important, you'd think Keyes would maybe live in a less expensive house, or maybe stop refusing to fly anything but first class every where he goes.
Why should Alan have to live in a less expensive house when he can get people like EternalVigilance to get the money for him?
Is that really what you guys call yourselves?
To clarify for the metaphor-impaired, my use of "Mafia" was not intended to imply violence on the part of the perps. And "perps" in the previous sentence does not mean that the parties in question have committed crimes. Or, for that matter, that they haven't...
This might be a good time to look more closely at the FEC documents that are now available for the Minuteman PAC and for the Declaration Alliance Minuteman Civil Defense Corps PAC, which presumably compresses to "DAMCDCPAC."
Does Connie Haire still work for Alan Keyes?
Beats me...
It wasn't illegal. You're making it up.
Who exactly do you think you are?
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